Apparatus for pre-fabricating wood structures

ABSTRACT

Apparatus in the nature of a jig for fabricating wood trusses providing a stationary support means, upon which the members of the wood truss are disposed. Truss plates are placed at the joints of the members of the wood truss and the teeth thereof embedded therein by means of a hydraulic press. The stationary support means includes a plurality of metallic slats, having a degree of flexibility, upon which the members of the wood truss are properly positioned. The slats are so constructed as to be mounted and removed from the stationary support means with facility and are also so structured, that upon application of vertical forces to the truss plates to drive them into the members of the truss, the pressures resulting therefrom strengthen the entire unit and provide support along the transverse centers of each slat, and also at and adjacent to the longitudinal edges of each slat. The longitudinal edges of the slats are spaced apart and removable means operatively extend between adjacent slats for anchoring fixtures in proper position on the slats to abut and maintain the wooden members of the truss in the desired and necessary relative positions for fabrication of the truss components into a unitary building structure.

United States Patent [1 1 1111 3,757,681

Templin 1 1 Sept. 11, 1973 1 APPARATUS FOR PRE-FABRICATING 57] ABSTRACTWOOD STRUCTURES Jureit et a1 100/100 X Primary ExaminerBilly J. WilhiteAttorney-Philip V. W. Peck 45 5 A 52 47 2 37 23 z I I 1 L9 23 Apparatusin the nature of a jig for fabricating wood trusses providing astationary support means, upon which the members of the wood truss aredisposed. Truss plates are placed at the joints of the members of thewood truss and the teeth thereof embedded therein by means of ahydraulic press. The stationary support means includes a plurality ofmetallic slats, having a degree of flexibility, upon which the membersof the wood truss are properly positioned. The slats are so constructedas to be mounted and removed from the stationary support means withfacility and are also so structured, that upon application of verticalforces to the truss plates to drive them into the members of the truss,the pressures resulting therefrom strengthen the entire unit and providesupport along the transverse centers of each slat, and also at andadjacent to the longitudinal edges of each slat. The longitudinal edgesof the slats are spaced apart and removable means operatively extendbetween adjacent -slats for anchoring fixtures in proper position on theslats to abut and maintain the wooden members of the truss in thedesired and necessary relative positions for fabrication of the trusscomponents into a unitary building structure.

14 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures I3 33 2 4 &f\ is.

Patented Sept. 11, 1973 3,757,681

INVENTOR Gail H. Temp/in ATTORNEY APPARATUS FOR PRE-FABIRICATING WOODSTRUCTURES This invention relates broadly to the art of fabricatingwooden truss structures for use in the building arts, and in its morespecific aspects, it relates to a jig of unique character, upon whichthe wooden members of the truss are properly positioned with metal trussplates being positioned at the joints of the wooden members forembedding therein; and the nature and objects of the invention will bereadily recognized and understood by those skilled in the arts to whichit relates in the light of the following explanation and detaileddescription of the accompanying drawings illustrating what I at presentbelieve to be preferred embodiments or mechanical expressions of myinvention from among various other .forms, arrangements, combinationsand constructions,

metal truss plates, which customarily include a body;

portion from which are struck a plurality of teeth or prongs which areembedded in a portion of each abutting member to connect such memberstogether. Various types of pressing means have been employed for thisembedding operation, such as pressing rollers and hydraulic andpneumatic presses.

Those skilled in this art will recognize that the accurate and properpositioning of the wooden members of the truss on the supporting tableor platform of the jig is of the utmost importance, so that the truss,when completed, will be properly dimensioned.

It is customary in this discipline to use a variety of types of fixtureswhich are so affixed to the bed or platform of the jig and are disposedin the proper abutting relationship with the wooden members of the trussat various points therealong to maintain the said members in the properand necessary positions during the fabricating operation. Since trussesof variable dimensions must be fabricated it will be appreciated thatthe maintaining fixtures for the wooden members of the truss must havean adjustable characteristic relative to the truss supporting portionsof the jig, so as to be in the proper positions for abutting the woodenmembers of the truss to maintain them in the necessary positions duringthe fabrication operation. It has been my experience in this art thatmany arrangements have been resorted to in order to provideadjustability in these fixtures, and the majority of such arrangements,of which I am aware, are relatively complex in nature requiringconsiderable time in properly adjusting them.

It has been one of my prime purposes in the evolvement of this inventionto produce fixtures for these purposes which are adjustable relative tothe supporting surface of the jig and to the truss members, withfacility. The mounting and adjustable arrangement of these fixtures issuch that little time is required in properly adjusting them and themounting and securing means for the fixtures is simple and of anon-complex nature.

In the fabrication of wooden trusses, l have provided a stationaryplatform, upon which is mounted certain members, which will be discussedin detail hereinafter, and it is upon these members that the trusselements are laid in their proper positions with the metal truss platespositioned at the joints thereof, and l propose utilizing an hydraulic,or the like, press for embedding the metal truss plates in the woodenmembers of the truss at the joints thereof, the press being movable overthe wooden members of the truss and operable at the desired pointsthereover to cause embedment of the metal truss plates in the woodenmembers of the truss at the joints thereof. The actual surfaces uponwhich the wooden members of the truss are laid comprise, generally aplurality of metallic slat members, which are supported in spacedposition longitudinally with respect to the platform, and are formedwith a degree of flexibility and due to this particular slatcharacteristic, structure and configuration, when the forces generatedby the operation of the press are applied to the metal truss plates,each slat unit is strengthened, and particularly the slat's centers andoutside edges, all as will become apparent as this description proceeds.

In the actual use and operation of the jig, the possibility of slatbreakage exists and with this in mind, I have so formed the slats andthe means upon which they are mounted which function to support andspace the slats from the platform, that any individual slats which mayhave been damaged, may be easily removed from the supporting means and anew slat mounted in operative position on the supporting means withease.

In the development of a relatively simple jig arrangement for use in thefabrication of wooden trusses, I have not sacrificed economies in theconstruction and operation of the jig, and I have also provided a jig ofthis character which is easy to operate, and to properly position andmaintain the wooden truss members in the necessary positions thereon,thereby substantially reducing labor and operational costs in thefabrication of wooden truss members.

With the foregoing general objects, features and results in view, aswell as certain others which will be apparent from the followingexplanation, the invention consists in certain novel features in design,construction, mounting and combination of elements, as will be morefully and particularly referred to and specified hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view, in perspective, of a slat with parts thereof brokenaway.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a jig with parts thereof brokenaway.

In the accompanying drawings, l have used the numeral I to designate, inits entirety, one of the slats, the numeral 3 to designate the hydraulicpress, or other type press, which is operable longitudinally of the jiginto position for pressing metal truss plates into embedded fabricatingposition within the wooden members of the truss at the joints thereof.Numeral 5 has been selected to designate, in its entirety, theadjustable anchoring means for the base plates of the fixtures, which Iare positioned so as to be in maintaining abutment with the woodenmembers of the truss.

I provide a platform, or jig, tabletop in the form of an elongated metalplate 7. The substantially rigid supporting platform 7 is on the orderof one-fourth inch in thickness, since this has been found to besuitable to withstand pressures to which it is subjected in the pressingoperations. In most operations, it has been found suitable if theplatform 7 is approximately 12 ft. wide, and it may be formed of anylength found desirable in the fabricating operation.

At spaced intervals, longitudinally of the platform 7, I have fixedthereto T bars, designated generally by the numeral 11, such T barscomprising a stem 13, which is fixed, as by welding 15, to the platform7 and a head 17 is formed on the opposite end of the stem 13 of theT-bar 11.

The slats 1 are removable from their supporting means, as will beexplained hereinafter, and are roll formed, providing the jig table top,upon which the truss members are positioned in the fabricatingoperation. A slat 1 is provided for each T-bar 11 in the jig assemblyand each slat comprises a flat bed surface 19, which is substantially 6ft. in transverse width and its length, or longitudinal dimension, issubstantially the same as the width of the platform 7 and the length ofthe T-bars 11. Each slat at each longitudinal end thereof is rolled overon itself as at 21, providing a longitudinally extending slat edgeportion, comprising an upper section 23 and a lower section 25 rolled tobe in abutment with the upper section 23. It will be appreciated thatthis edge structure reinforces each longitudinal edge of each slat. Thelower section 25 at its inner end depends inwardly and downwardlyproviding an inclined longitudinally downwardly extending supportingflange 27, the lower end 29 of which is in abutment with the top surfaceof the platform 7, forming a bearing point, or edge. From the bearingpoint 29, a longitudinally extending flange 31 extends upwardly. Thesupporting flange 31 ends at 33, the longitudinally extending end oredge, 33 being disposed beneath the cross base 17 of the T-bar. Innormal position, when the press is not operating, the edges 33 of eachflange 31 are spaced from the head 17. Preferably, the included anglebetween the flanges 27 and 31 is on the order of 90, while the anglesbetween such flanges 27 and 31 and the platform 7 is each on the orderof 41 6.

It will now be clear that each slat is fonned with two longitudinallyextending bearing points, or angled edges 29, and that one is on oneside of the T-bar 11 and the other on the opposite side thereof, andthat each is outside a projected vertical plane from the head 17. Itwill also now be clear that each slat is formed with a degree offlexibility.

In order to remove a slat l, which may have been damaged, it is merelynecessary to slide it longitudinally of the T-bar 1l,'so that it willslide off the end thereof. To assemble a new slat 1, it is merelynecessary to slide said slat on the T-bar with the flat bed surface ofthe slat sliding along the head 17 and with the flanges 31 of the slatin position beneath the head, as clearly disclosed in FIG. 2 of thedrawings.

When the slats are assembled in operative positions in the jig, one slatbeing provided for each T-bar, it will be recognized that the flat bedsurface 19 of each slat rests on the top surface of a head 17 of a T-barand extends transversly beyond the longitudinal edges of the head, sincethe width of each slat is greater than the width of the head of theT-bar. It will also be apparent that each slat is provided with twobearing edges 29, being on opposite sides of the T-bar. It will also beevident that the spacing of the T-bars on the platform 7 and the widthof each flat bed surface 19 of each slat are such that the longitudinaledges 21 of adjacent slats are spaced apart, leaving a free area 35between the 4 longitudinal edges of adjacent slats, all as is clearlyillustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

As I have stated above, jigs of this character are designed for thefabrication of trusses of varying dimensions and it is thus necessary toprovide some means on the truss supporting surfaces, which areadjustable so as to be movable into abutting position with the woodenmembers of the trusses. Various types of fixtures which are movable intoabutting relation with the wooden truss members, have been devised andthey may take various forms, such as camming mechanisms, and the like.In my invention, I may employ various types of fixtures and since thefixtures, per se, form no part of this invention, I have not illustratedthem in the drawings. Anyone skilled in this art will be aware ofseveral types of fixtures. I provide a fixture base plate 37, which, ina manner to be described, is adjustably or movably mounted on and withrespect to the slats 1. Any of the aforementioned suitable types offixtures for abutting and maintaining the wooden members of the truss inproper position, may be employed and fixed to the fixture base plate 37in any convenient and suitable manner. Thus, by moving the base plate 37to various adjustably fixed positions on the bed surfaces 19, of theslats, the fixture or fixtures mounted on the base plate will assumetheir proper and desired positions with respect to the wooden members ofthe truss. While I have disclosed only one such fixture base plate, itwill be understood that any number of such fixture base plates, withtheir fixtures mounted thereon, may be used. The mounting and operationof each fixture base plate 37 is the same.

I provide for each fixture base plate 37 a fixture base plate anchorbolt 39, having on one end thereof a head 41 and a washer 43 supportedby said head 41. The end of the anchor bolt 39, which is opposite to theend thereof upon which the head 41 is fixed is threaded, as at 45, andthreadedly mounts a tightening nut 47. The anchor bolt 39 extendsthrough an aperture which is provided in the fixture base plate 37 andsuch aperture is positioned over the free area 35, between thelongitudinal edges 21 of adjacent slats 1, so that the anchor bolt 39extends through such area between the edges of adjacent slats. With theanchor bolt extending through the free area and through the aperture inthe fixture base plate 37, and with the washer 43 in position relativeto the head 41, as shown in FIG. 2, and with the tightening nut 47threaded on the anchor bolt and into tightened threaded position thereonin engagement with the upper surface of the fixture base plate 37, thewasher 43 will be in tight holding engagement with the edges 21 ofadjacent slats, and the fixture base plate 37 will be held in properposition with its fixture or fixtures in abutting position with a woodenmember of a truss to hold and maintain the wooden member in properposition for the proper position for the pressing operation and theembedment of a metal truss-plate into the wood at the joints between thewooden members.

In order to adjust the position of the fixture base plate 37, it ismerely necessary toloosen the tightening nut 47, so that the bolt andits assembled elements, along with the fixture base plate 37 and itsattached fixtures, may be moved along the free area 35 between adjacentslats to any desirable position, transversely of the jig, in order toplace the fixtures in proper wooden member abutting position.

It will be appreciated that any suitable type of press may be used withjig assembly, in order to press the metal truss plates into the woodenmembers of the truss at the joints of such members. it is customary toplace the metal truss plates on both sides of the wooden members of thetruss for pressing and embedment therein by the press. Merely by way ofexample, of one type of press arrangement which I may use, I haveillustrated the press 3, having the reciprocating platen 49 whichengages the metal truss plates on one side of the wooden truss members,as well as engaging parts of the wooden members.

The press is provided with a lower platen 50, which slidably extendsbeneath the platform 7, the lower platen 50 being connected to press 3in any suitable manner, as by extensions 52 from the press 3. The pressassembly, including the platen 50 is movable longitudinally of the jiginto positions, so that the reciprocating platen 49 is over the metaltruss plates, which are to be embedded into the wooden truss members, itbeing understood that the lower platen 50 moves longitudinally of thejig with the entire press assembly, so that the lower platen is at alltimes beneath and in the vertical plane of the reciprocating platen 49.

The press assembly is mounted for longitudinal movement with respect tothe jig in any manner well known in the art. For instance, the pressassembly may be operatively mounted on wheels, which move on a trackbelow and on both sides of the jig. Since the particular operativemounting of the press assembly forms no part of this invention, suchoperative mounting arrangement has not been shown in detail.

The platform 7 may be supported in any suitable manner as, for instance,by legs which are collapsible by engagement with the press assembly asit moves longitudinally with respect to the jig. in this operation, itwould push one leg over and down with another leg following upimmediately behind the press assembly. Such arrangements are known inthe art and may be followed in this particular instance. 1

It is also within my contemplation to provide an arrangement of thisgeneral character, wherein the press assembly is stationary and thesupporting surfaces, including the slats, move horizontally, forwardlyand backwardly through the stationary press assembly.

It will be appreciated that when the platen is operated to force themetal plates into the wood, considerable forces and pressures areapplied to the wooden members of the truss, the slats 1 and the platform7. When these various elements are subjected to these pressures, it willbe evident that the heads 17 of the T- bars support the slat centers andthe edges 21 of the slats are also strengthened and maintained againstdeformation by the bearing edges 29 and the flanges 27, which supportthese outside edges of the slats. Thus, the particular slat arrangementand configuration is designed to strengthen the overall slat unit. Insome instances during the pressing operation, the forces and pressuresmay be sufficient to force the edges 33 of the slats into strengtheningengagement with heads 17.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss, wherein a press is used toembed metal truss plates in the wooden members of the truss at thejoints thereof, including, in combination, a substantially rigidplatform, a plurality of slat support means fixed on said platform inspaced relation and extending thereacross and upwardly from saidplatform, an elongated slat supported on each of said slat support meansand providing an upper support surface for the wooden members of thetruss.

2. Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss, in accordance with claim 1,wherein the longitudinal edges of adjacent slats are spaced apart.

3. Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss, in accordance with claim 1,wherein said slat support means are elongated and are of substantiallythe same length as the length of said elongated slats.

4. Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss, in accordance with claim 1,wherein said elongated slats have a degree of flexibility.

5. Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss, in accordance with claim 3,wherein said elongated slats are of greater width than the width of theslat support means.

6. Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss, in accordance with claim 5,wherein said elongated slats have a degree of flexibility and each ofsaid slats includes a surface in supporting engagement with saidsubstantially rigid platform.

7. Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss,in accordance with claim 6,wherein each of said elongated slats is provided with at least twosurfaces in supporting engagement with said substantially rigidplatform, one of said surfaces being on one side of said slat supportmeans and the other of said surfaces being on the other side of saidslat support means.

8. Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss, in accordance with claim 6,wherein a downwardly and inwardly extending flange projects fromadjacent each longitudinal edge of each slat, and the lower edges ofsaid flanges provide the surfaces in supporting engagement with saidsubstantially rigid platform.

9. Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss, in accordance with claim 8,wherein said slat support means comprises T-bars, having the headsthereof remotely positioned with respect to the stationary platform.

10. Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss, in accordance with claim9, wherein the heads of said T-bars constitute a center supporting meansfor each slat and is in engagement with the under surface of each slat.

11. Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss, in accordance with claim9, wherein a further upwardly and inwardly extending flange projectsfrom each of the lower edges of each of said downwardly and inwardlyextending flanges and extends to points below and spaced from theunder-surface of said head.

12. Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss, in accordance with claim 6wherein the longitudinal edge portions of said slats comprise twosections rolled into abutting relationship.

13. Apparatus for fabricating a wood truss, wherein a press is used toembed metal truss plates in the wooden members of the truss at thejoints thereof, including, in combination a plurality of elongated slatsand support means therefor, and the longitudinal edges of said slatsbeing spaced apart, and wherein fixtures are provided and are movableinto position abutting and maintaining the wooden members of the trussin their necessary positions, including, in combination, a fixture baseplate on which the fixtures are mounted, said fixture base plate beingsupported on adjacent slats, and means extending through and operablewithin the space between the longitudinal edges of adjacent slats, saidmeans being connected to said fixture base 7 8 plate and in releasableengagement with said adjacent the adjacent slats and said mechanism isoperable to slats hold said fixture base plate against movement relative14. Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss, in accordance with claim13, wherein said means includes mechanism engageable with said fixturebase plate and to said adjacent slats.

1. Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss, wherein a press is used toembed metal truss plates in the wooden members of the truss at thejoints thereof, including, in combination, a substantially rigidplatform, a plurality of slat support means fixed on said platform inspaced relation and extending thereacross and upwardly from saidplatform, an elongated slat supported on each of said slat support meansand providing an upper support surface for the wooden members of thetruss.
 2. Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss, in accordance withclaim 1, wherein the longitudinal edges of adjacent slats are spacedapart.
 3. Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss, in accordance withclaim 1, wherein said slat support means are elongated and are ofsubstantially the same length as the length of said elongated slats. 4.Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss, in accordance with claim 1,wherein said elongated slats have a degree of flexibility.
 5. Apparatusfor fabricating a wooden trusS, in accordance with claim 3, wherein saidelongated slats are of greater width than the width of the slat supportmeans.
 6. Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss, in accordance withclaim 5, wherein said elongated slats have a degree of flexibility andeach of said slats includes a surface in supporting engagement with saidsubstantially rigid platform.
 7. Apparatus for fabricating a woodentruss, in accordance with claim 6, wherein each of said elongated slatsis provided with at least two surfaces in supporting engagement withsaid substantially rigid platform, one of said surfaces being on oneside of said slat support means and the other of said surfaces being onthe other side of said slat support means.
 8. Apparatus for fabricatinga wooden truss, in accordance with claim 6, wherein a downwardly andinwardly extending flange projects from adjacent each longitudinal edgeof each slat, and the lower edges of said flanges provide the surfacesin supporting engagement with said substantially rigid platform. 9.Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss, in accordance with claim 8,wherein said slat support means comprises T-bars, having the headsthereof remotely positioned with respect to the stationary platform. 10.Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss, in accordance with claim 9,wherein the heads of said T-bars constitute a center supporting meansfor each slat and is in engagement with the under surface of each slat.11. Apparatus for fabricating a wooden truss, in accordance with claim9, wherein a further upwardly and inwardly extending flange projectsfrom each of the lower edges of each of said downwardly and inwardlyextending flanges and extends to points below and spaced from theunder-surface of said head.
 12. Apparatus for fabricating a woodentruss, in accordance with claim 6, wherein the longitudinal edgeportions of said slats comprise two sections rolled into abuttingrelationship.
 13. Apparatus for fabricating a wood truss, wherein apress is used to embed metal truss plates in the wooden members of thetruss at the joints thereof, including, in combination a plurality ofelongated slats and support means therefor, and the longitudinal edgesof said slats being spaced apart, and wherein fixtures are provided andare movable into position abutting and maintaining the wooden members ofthe truss in their necessary positions, including, in combination, afixture base plate on which the fixtures are mounted, said fixture baseplate being supported on adjacent slats, and means extending through andoperable within the space between the longitudinal edges of adjacentslats, said means being connected to said fixture base plate and inreleasable engagement with said adjacent slats.
 14. Apparatus forfabricating a wooden truss, in accordance with claim 13, wherein saidmeans includes mechanism engageable with said fixture base plate and theadjacent slats and said mechanism is operable to hold said fixture baseplate against movement relative to said adjacent slats.